Casting Call: Dream Casting ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ Movie

It’s Friday, which means it’s another week of Casting Call. I’m a little late with my post, because I had a crazy day of travel yesterday and couldn’t get it together in time — apologies! This week we had a heck of a time trying to pay tribute to genius John Green’s excellent, heartbreaking work of staggering genius “The Fault in Our Stars.” I’m only casting two characters, so once you’re done reading my picks, you have to check out the rest of the cast: YA Crush (Hazel Grace and Isaac), The Grown-Up YA (Peter Van Houton and Lidewij Vliegenthart), Gone Pecan (Kaitlyn and Mrs. Lancaster) and The Book Addict’s Guide (Mr. and Mrs. Waters)

Hazel Grace & Augustus, courtesy of Simini Blocker

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs… for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.(Goodreads)

This week I’m once again casting the lead, Augustus Waters, and also Hazel Grace’s dad, Mr. Lancaster.

Douglas Booth as Augustus Waters

This week was difficult, because I always like to pick not just someone who looks the part but who I honestly believe could pull off in the role. Augustus is one of young adult literature’s Great Guys. He’s a gorgeous cancer survivor (and former basketball star) with just one leg but with all of his powers of charm and seduction (not in a sexual way but in that way that an interested, good-looking guy can pursue the object of his affection). Having seen Douglas beautifully portray Pip in the BBC/PBS Masterpiece production of “Great Expectations,” I think he could nail the emotional (and devastatingly charming) role of Augustus.

John Corbett as Mr. Lancaster

If there’s anything our group of Casting Call buddies learned this week, it’s that we have a shockingly long list of crushes on men over the age of 50. When it came down to picking Mr. Lancaster, my sister Diana reminded us that it had to be an actor who could pull off weepy without making it seam weak. Mr. Lancaster, as Hazel Grace describes her own father, often looks like he’s on the verge of tears (and wouldn’t you be if your only child had a rare form of advanced cancer?). He adores his wife and daughter and is generally an awesome dad. Corbett also goes quite nicely with our choice in Mrs. Lancaster, whom Dixie at Gone Pecan cast.

So those are our picks this week! Who would *you* pick in the adaptation of FiOS?

Honesty Clause: In our development of this feature we discovered that the book blog Lit Snit featured “Casting Call Fridays.” Our Casting Call feature is in no way purposefully copying or stealing this idea and any similarities is purely coincidental. Also, you should check out their casting because it rocks!

He’s definitely got bedroom, I mean, lovely eyes. I love exchanging ideas with you ladies and then going AHA, this is the pick. It’s been such a fun collaboration to be a part of 🙂 To me, John Corbett isn’t Aidan from SATC, he’s Chris from Northern Exposure 😉 I love him now as the husband on “The United States of Tara.” He’s great!

I LOVE your choices. Gus is so hard and yet I think you nailed it. I was totally laughing because you are so right, we do have a huge list of crushes on men over 50. I love John Corbett! What’s so funny is what made me see him as good dad material was Ramona and Beezus. Before that, he was Aidan from Sex and the City to me (who was a major sexypants). And I love that now he can be both. (Or I’m just old).

Yay, I love your choices!! I didn’t know you were choosing John Corbett! I’m glad you go to use him for a dad since I didn’t 🙂 And I’m also glad we’re sharing our casts because that would have been weird if we cast him for both Hazel’s and Gus’s dad lol!

Very nice choices sis! As usual I don’t know the young actor, but I could def. see him as Augustus. John Corbett is a great pick for Hazel’s dad. I think everyone did a fantastic job with their picks for such an amazing book.

I like your choices, i never would have thought of them. Personally, I don’t think i could watch it unless Augustus was Logan Lerman, just because, he basically IS the character.

As for Hazel, I reallllyyyyyy, really want this girl who works with Hank Green (John’s Brother) to be her. She’ s incredibly talented and super pretty AND she fits Hazel’s appearance, i think.
here’s a link if anyone’s interested. I really hope somebody picks her and not some random teen starlet. 🙂

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